The Wearables Intender - Tech Savvy, Social, and Stylish

Published on: 8th Mar 2016

Note -- this news article is more than a year old.

In newly released research, International Data Corporation (IDC) found that wearables intenders (consumers who plan on purchasing a wearable product in the next six months) are tech savvy, highly social, and extremely style conscious (S ). These consumers will lead the next wave of wearables adoption in the United States.

Wearable intenders are comfortable with technology (89%) and over
three-quarters (76%) check their smartphone first thing in the morning. They are
also extremely social, with 87% using Facebook, including 29% who check Facebook
hourly. Over half (54%) of intenders agree with the statement, "When I
don't check social media, I wonder what I am missing" - commonly known as
FOMO or fear of missing out.

Moreover, wearables intenders are highly style conscious, as indicated by
their agreement with the following statements:

"I am conscious of how I present myself" - 81%
"How I dress is important to me" - 77%
"My clothing is an expression of who I am" - 66%
"The accessories that I wear (eyeglasses, watch, jewelry) say something
about me" - 63%

Interest in wearables is high, with nearly three quarters (74%) agreeing that
"Wearables technology is exciting" and 71% agreeing with the statement
"I believe wearables is the next big thing in technology." Another
two-thirds (65%) of intenders agree that "Wearables technology will
positively impact daily life."

"Intenders are enthusiastic about wearables but have hesitated to
actually purchase a device. This implies that companies have not yet cracked the
code to deliver something that is both functional and fashionable. Given that
intenders are highly style conscious, companies clearly need to focus on the
aesthetics of their product - perhaps even more so than the features,"
said Allan Fromen, Vice President and Consulting Partner for IDC's Global Buyer
Behavior Practice.

Wearable intenders' preferred brands differ by category, with the most
preferred brands being Apple (52%) for smartwatches, Fitbit (37%) for fitness
trackers, Google (36%) for eyewear, and Nike (40%) for clothing.

"We are still in the early stages of the wearables market and that gives
companies throughout the ecosystem opportunity to grab mind share and market
share," said Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC's Wearables team.
"Intenders are gravitating towards tech companies for wearables because
tech companies have helped pioneer and move the market forward. What will be
interesting to observe is how tech companies partner with non-tech companies to
develop new applications, or even how non-tech companies can compete in this
space. Our research shows interest for both."